The sudden appearance of the Chinese warship strengthened Fisher's idea of escape. However, he was stunned when he was suddenly bombarded at such a distance. The rangefinder on the Britannia showed that the current distance between the two sides was close to thirty.
Kilometers, even a 356 mm main gun cannot hit such a distance at the maximum elevation angle. Looking at the shells roaring in the sky, he really didn't understand how Yang Feng did it. ±, ww■w.
2○3wx.co Ten years ago, when everyone was fighting at 5,000 yards, he was 10,000 yards away. When everyone tried to increase the fighting distance to 10,000 yards, he opened fire at 20,000 yards away. Now everyone
After trying their best, they were finally able to fire at 20,000 yards, but he actually attacked at 30,000 yards away. Why, despite all their efforts, could never close the distance between the two sides.
Not only him, but everyone in the entire combined fleet at sea is looking at the bombs falling above their heads and feeling powerless. Such a battle is impossible. The Chinese Navy's battle cruisers originally dominate at ultra-high speeds, and now they are even more powerful.
With a super long range, such an enemy is simply despairing.
Although the firing accuracy of the nearly thirty kilometers must have been greatly affected, when the third round of shells fell, two of them still hit the Britannia at the same time. The 300-kilogram heavy shells falling from the sky at a large angle, regardless of speed or
The weight is far greater than that of bombs. The cap-piercing explosive shells with delayed fuzes can easily penetrate the horizontal armor and explode inside. Although the explosive power is inferior to that of aircraft bombs due to the small amount of charge, the two shells still caused damage to the battleship.
Serious damage, especially if the fire that was just under control is ignited again.
"David, you immediately transfer to the New Zealand and then take over the command of the fleet." Fisher said to Betty while looking at the thick smoke billowing from below the deck outside.
"Marshal, you are the commander of the fleet." Betty said in surprise.
"I can't go back, and neither can the Britannia. You're still young, and the Royal Navy still needs you." Fisher said with a long sigh, and he was telling the truth. The elites of the British Navy are in this long battle.
All were lost in the war, and among the younger generation of generals left, Betty is the only one. As for himself, as the fleet commander, he must live and die with the flagship. There is no hope for the Britannia, and the Chinese are targeting this ship.
flagship, and at this time, a group of bombers had appeared again in the distant sky, and those bombers would not let go of this battleship whose speed had dropped to less than fifteen knots.
Although she still wanted to argue, under Fisher's order Betty took a small boat and transferred to the battleship New Zealand, which was also the only remaining Edward VII class ship. Then Fisher issued an order to the fleet to move forward at full speed.
With the order, amidst the sound of whistles saluting the fleet commander, the remaining ships of the combined fleet accelerated to twenty-seven knots, leaving behind the slow-moving Britannia and two other cruisers that were also seriously damaged, and then rushed in the direction of Britain.
escape.
Unfortunately, they had a good idea, but the bombers in the sky were not interested in the delicacies of the Britannia. Two hundred Eagles and Swordfish flew over the head of the Britannia and pounced directly on the escaping people.
The combined fleet, but Yang Yonglin and his Yuanshui and Changan ships continued to beat the Britannia, which was unable to resist.
The fate of this flagship of the British Home Fleet and Marshal Fisher on it was doomed. It was only a matter of time before it sank. The Britannia with two cruisers sailed slowly and alone amidst the roar of falling shells.
toward death.
Betty and the United Fleet, who were escaping in the distance, were also struggling with the roar of bombers and torpedo attack planes. The sun was about to set. Looking at the low setting sun on the horizon, General Betty hoped that it would set quickly.
Some. Fortunately, the second round of air strikes lasted less than half an hour. The Chinese carrier-based aircraft returned immediately after dropping bombs and torpedoes. On the sea below them, eight ships including an Italian battleship and a British battle cruiser
The warship is slowly sinking to the bottom of the sea.
"Finally got rid of these bombers." An officer said with a sigh of relief as he looked at the setting sun sinking into the sea level.
"Get rid of it? How far can we run in one night? Four hundred kilometers is in the sky. How far is the bombing radius of the Chinese carrier-based aircraft? At least five hundred kilometers, not to mention that their aircraft carriers are much faster than us. We are now far away from the mainland
There are still nearly two thousand kilometers, do you think we can survive tomorrow in this condition?" Betty said with a wry smile.
This officer was also dumbfounded. Well, the aircraft carrier is not a land airport and cannot move. It can sail at high speed on the sea, and the speed is even faster than their battle cruiser. In other words, no matter how the combined fleet runs, they will look like
The maggots attached to the bones continued to bombard them until the entire combined fleet was sent into the sea.
"Don't worry too much. The night still helps us a lot. At least their reconnaissance planes can't search at night. In this case, we don't need to return home on the original course and order the fleet to turn to the east!" Betty looked around.
The officers' pale faces expressed relief.
"To the east?" an officer said doubtfully.
"Yes, heading east, the Chinese have determined that we are returning to the mainland. There is no reconnaissance aircraft in the dark night and it will be difficult for them to search for us with only a reconnaissance fleet. In this case, we will simply sail east back to the Mediterranean, and then just block Gibraltar with mines.
Then the Chinese aircraft carriers will certainly not be able to enter, thus ensuring the safety of the fleet." Betty said, having to say that this was his best choice at the moment.
"But the mainland..." an officer said hesitantly. What he meant was what to do with the UK? Obviously, as long as the Chinese drive the combined fleet back to the Mediterranean, they will ravage the British mainland as they please, whether it's bombing or artillery.
It all depends on their mood. At this time, there are only old steam-powered battleships and small destroyer torpedo boats in the UK. The former is the target of Chinese battleships and the latter cannot stop even a bomb.
"Homeland? What can we do even if we go back?" Betty said with a wry smile. He was telling the truth. Even if he went back, he would still be hiding in the military port and waiting to be bombed. Only by hiding in the Mediterranean and closing the Strait of Gibraltar could we rely on land protection to block it.
The Chinese fleet entered, and then, there was nothing left to do. They continued to control the sea in the Mediterranean. As for this war, it can be fought as long as it takes. To be honest, even Betty already understood at this time that the Allied Powers' insistence was nothing more than
It has no use other than increasing losses. The enemy is so powerful that any resistance will be suicidal.
In this way, the combined fleet that was originally bound for the United Kingdom quietly turned and sailed to Gibraltar, more than a thousand kilometers away, under the cover of night. Unfortunately, they thought they were undetected, but when they got close to the Chinese Royal Navy, which was less than fifty kilometers away,
In front of the radar of the Yongchang battle cruiser, everything is meaningless.
"Turn?" Cheng Biguang was surprised, but then understood the goal of the combined fleet.
"Immediately notify the friendly battle fleets and tell them that the combined fleet is preparing to flee to the Mediterranean. Let them rush to the front to intercept. As for us following the British, we will destroy as many ships as we can. Each ship is free to choose its target." He said immediately.
Immediately afterwards, all four battlecruisers, including the Yongchang, along with a group of cruisers and destroyers, also turned to pursue it. After receiving his notice, four Spanish battleships, two Brazilian battleships and one were rushing to join the battle.
The Argentine battleship also turned and moved in front of Betty. However, they had no radar and could only use searchlights in night battles at sea. Of course, according to the route given to them by Cheng Biguang, they would not encounter the combined fleet before dawn, but after dawn
They will be like a steel wall across the enemy's escape path.
At this time, in the back, Marshal Fisher's life had come to an end. This legendary figure in the history of the Royal Navy was seriously injured by the steel fragments stirred up by a 280 shell that exploded near the command room.
It was already dying. As for the Britannia, the seawater had already flooded the main deck. The two cruisers were in a similar situation. On the distant sea, Chinese destroyers had already appeared to check the situation. Of course, if the Britannia was still alive,
Even if it didn't sink, they wouldn't mind coming to replenish it.
On his deathbed, Marshal Fisher suddenly shouted as if he had a sudden flash of inspiration: "Quickly, send a message to Betty, asking him to go east, not back to the mainland, and go to the Mediterranean."
"Marshal, General Betty is already doing this." The captain of the Britannia next to him said with tears in his eyes.
"That's good, it can still save the last bit of vitality for the Royal Navy." His Excellency the Navy Marshal took a long breath and closed his eyes peacefully.
It is a pity that General Betty, who is more than a hundred kilometers away on the sea, does not think that he is still capable of bringing the fleet into the Mediterranean.
"What's going on? Why are they still targeting us at night?" The last famous general of the British Royal Navy roared sadly and indignantly. On the sea around him, 280 shells roared down one after another, and then accurately
Dazzling fireballs exploded on the battleships one after another, and not only the battleship shells, but even the naval guns of cruisers and destroyers joined the battle. On the dark sea in the distance, only the firelight ejected from the muzzles could be vaguely seen.
, but the beams of searchlights on the British battleships could not illuminate the outline of the enemy ships at all.
"Night is truly our world." Cheng Biguang said with satisfaction as he looked at the firelight and lights of the United Fleet in the distance. On the sea to his left and right, the thirty-six 280 main guns of four battlecruisers were firing.
Continuously spraying flames, huge shells roared across the sea and flew towards the enemy ships, while the destroyers and cruisers were accelerating towards the combined fleet under the guidance of radar, preparing to launch torpedo attacks under the cover of night.
At this time, Yang Yonglin, who had completely eliminated the Britannia, was also arriving. (To be continued, please search Piaotian Literature, the novel is better and updated faster!